Bullet fabricating means



y 1967 c. F. ECKERT 3,

BULLET FABRICATING MEANS Filed July 16, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CHARLES E EC/(E'RT BY gwm ATTORNEY May 30, 1967 c. F. ECKERT 3,322,020

BULLET FABRICATING MEANS Filed July 16, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GI4 ATTORNEY 3,322,020 Patented May 30, 1967 Fire 3,322,020 BULLET FABRICATING MEANS Charles F. Eckert, 1109 Devereaux St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19111 Filed July 16, 1965, Ser. No. 472,635 8 Claims. (CI. 8619) This invention relates to a bullet fabricating means, and more particularly to a means for automatically sizing and greasing a bullet in a fabricating operation.

Heretofore, sizing and greasing devices such as the Ideal Model No. 45 lubricator and sizer of Lyman Company have been provided which require the operator to individually manually actuate a lever for sizing a bullet and then manually activate a greasing means for applying grease to the bullet. The requirement for manually operating a plurality of levers in sequence to operate the prior art devices, is arduous and increases the time required for fabricating bullets as well as providing nonuniformity in the bullets produced.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bullet fabricating means which automatically sizes and greases a bullet by the actuation of a single lever.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bullet fabricating means which allows the application of a measured quantity of grease for application to each bullet which is sized by the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bullet fabricating means which in timed sequence sizes and greases a bullet in a single operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bullet fabricating means which allows the greasing of the bullet after it has been sized and before it is retracted from the sizing die.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bullet fabricating means which allows uniformity in the sizing and application of grease to the bullets being fabricated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bullet fabricating means which increases the efiiciency and speed with which bullets may be fabricated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bullet fabricating means which leaves the operator free to actuate the mechanism with one hand and supply material with the other hand and provides container means for receiving bullets which have been fabricated.

The above objects as well as many other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a bullet fabricating means comprising die means for receiving and sizing a bullet, lubricating means for supplying grease for said bullet, and reciprocating means including a carriage moving between first and second positions. The reciprocating means is provided with a lever having a first stroke for actuating said carriage between said first and second positions and a second stroke for actuating said carriage between said second and first positions. The reciprocating means also includes a press element secured with carriage for forcing a bullet into the die means during the first stroke of the lever. Connecting means are actuated by the reciprocating means during the first stroke of the lever for causing the application of grease to the bullet from the lubricating means while the bullet is received within the die means. The reciprocating means also includes a retracting element actuated by the carriage for removing the bullet from the die means during the second stroke of the lever.

The connecting means is actuated by the reciprocating means after the beginning of the first stroke of the lever and has first and second terminal positions. The connecting means is actuated by the reciprocating means into first position during the first stroke of the lever and assumes its second terminal position during the second stroke of the lever. The connecting means includes an adjustably positioned stop unit which is engaged and actuated by the carriage before reaching its second position during the first stroke of the lever of the reciprocating means, for adjusting the quantity of grease supplied to the bullet by the lubricating means.

The lubricating means comprises a container provided with a piston advanced by a rotatable shaft for forcing grease into the die means for application to the bullet, while the connecting means provides a reciprocating ratchet element connected with the shaft of the lubricating means for radial actuation thereof. The radial actuation of said shaft is adjusted by the position of the stop unit which controls the advancement of the piston. Thus, a measured quantity of grease is fed to said die member with each reciprocal actuation of the reciprocating means caused by said first and second strokes of said lever. The bullet fabricating means includes a basket means positioned for receiving bullets removed from the die means during the second stroke of the lever and a bullet counting means actuated by said lever.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become more apparent as the following detailed description of the invention is read in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a bullet fabricating means embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the means shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a left side elevational view of the means shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 2 with portions broken away.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

Refer to the figures which illustrate a bullet fabricating means 10 embodying the invention with the means 10 including a base 12 which may be secured by bolt means 14 to a table or bench member 16.

A lubricating means 18 comprising a container 20 having a cylindrical wall 22 is secured at its bottom 23 with the base 12, and provides a cavity 24 therein for receiving a lubricant, such as grease, enclosed by a top cover 21. The cavity 24 of the container 20 is provided with a movable piston 26 which is provided with a central opening therethrough which threadedly engages a vertical rotatable shaft 28. The shaft 28 is rotatably secured at its bottom 30 with the base 12. Counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 28 advances the piston 26 in a downward direction, forcing grease within the cavity 24 through a passage 32 in the base 12 into a chamber 34 containing a die element 36 used for sizing bullets in the fabricating process of the means 10.

The die element 36 is retained within the forward portion 38 of the base 12 and is provided with a plurality of radial passages 40 which communicate between the chamber 34- and the central bore 42 of the die element 36. The die element 36 receives within its bore 42 a cylindrical bullet retracting -pin 44 which is slidably movable therein. The die element 36 may be removed and replaced as required and is retained in position within the base 12 by the clamping screw 47.

A reciprocating means 46 provides an upper carriage bracket 43 having a bearing portion 50 received about and movably engaging the outer surface of the wall 22 of the container 20, and has a forwardly extending portion 52. The upper carriage bracket 48 is connected to a pair of vertical rods 54 and 56 which movably extend through and are guided by respective openings in the forward portion of the base 12 and are secured with a lower carriage bracket 58, by means of clamping screws 60.

The extending portion 52 of the carriage bracket 48 has secured with it by screw means 62, a press element 64 provided with a depending portion 66 for forcing a b-ullet 69 into the bore 42 of the die element 36 when the reciprocating means 46 moves from its first position shown in FIGURE 4 by the solid lines into its second position indicated by the dashed lines.

An actuating arm or lever 68 is provided for actuating the reciprocating means 46 between its first and second terminal positions. The lever 68 is pivotally connected at its hub 70 with a lug 72 secured with the extending portion 52 of the carriage bracket 48 by a pin 74 (see FIGURES l and 3), while end 76 of the lever 68 is connected by a pin 78 with the upper end of a link element 80 which has its lower end pivotally secured by a bolt 82 with a bracket 84 connected to the base 12. Thus, actuation of the handle 86 of the lever 68 in a downward stroke results in the movement of the reciprocating means 46 from its first position shown in solid lines, to its second position shown in dashed lines in FIGURE 4, while movement of the handle 86 of the lever 68 in an upward stroke moves the reciprocating means 46 from its second position back to its first position.

In actuation of the means 10 'by a downward stroke of the lever 68, with an unsized bullet 69 positioned as shown in FIGURE on top of and in line with the bore 42 of the die element 36, the depending portion 66 of the press element 64 contacts the top surface 88 of the bullet 69 and forces same into the bore 42 of the die element 36. The outer peripheral surface of the bullet 69 is sized by the die element 36 with its movement into its bore 42, thereby providing an accurate outer diameter for the bullet which may have originally been formed by casting with a lead alloy material. As the bullet 69 moves downwardly into the bore 42 of the die element 36, the retracting pin 44 is moved downwardly and partly out of the die element 36 as shown by the dashed lines 90 of FIGURE 4. In moving downwardly the retracting pin 44, which is contacted at its bottom by the enlarged head 92 of an ejector rod 94, moves the rod 94 in a downward direction through its guide retaining sleeve 96. The guide sleeve 96 has an outer surface which threadedly engages the lower extending arm 98 of the base 12 and is secured in position therewith by the clamping screw 100. When the enlarged head 92 of the rod 94 engages the top 102 of the guide sleeve 96, a stop is provided limiting and defining the second or lower terminal position of the reciprocating means 46. Thus, by vertically displacing the threaded sleeve 96 by turning same with the clamping screw 100 loosened, the lower terminal position of the reciprocating means 46 may be adjusted. This adjusts the depth to which the bullet 69 may be pressed into the bore 42 of the die element 36 and this adjustment may vary with the length of the bullet 69.

When the handle 86 of the lever 68 is moved in the upward direction providing the upward stroke, following the downward stroke, the reciprocating means 46 is moved from its bottom terminal position to its upward terminal position. The depending portion 66 of the press element 64 loses contact with and is positioned above the bullet 69, while the lower bracket 58 moves in the upwardly direction to contact the bottom end 103 of the rod 94. The continued upward movement of the lower carriage bracket 58 causes the rod 94 to move upwardly thereby actuating the retracting pin 44 in the upward direction, resulting in the retraction of the sized bullet 69 from the bore 42 of the die element 36 as the pin 44 and rod 94 assume the positions shown in FIGURE 5. Thus the reciprocating means 46 moves in the upward direction until the enlarged head 92 of the rod 94 is received into the cylindrical depression 104 at the bottom of the die element 36, which prevents further upward movementt and defines the upper terminal position of the reciprocating means 46.

A connecting means 106 comprises an actuating rod 108, having an end 110 slideably received through an opening 112 in the lower carriage bracket 58. The lower end of the rod 110 threadedly engages an adjustable stop nut 114, and an upper return nut 116 which are adjustably positionable thereon. The stop nut 114 engages the lower carriage bracket 58 when the reciprocating means 46 is moving in a downward direction towards its lower terminal position, while the upper return nut 116 engages the bracket 58 when the recoprocating means 46 is moving in the upward direction to its first upper terminal position. The upper end 118 of the actuating rod 108 is pivotally secured with the end 120 of a link element 122. The element 122 is pivoted at its center about a screw 124. Screw 124 is secured with a vertical bracket 126 attached to base 12. A lever element 128 of the connecting means 166 is also pivotally secured toward its lower end 132 by a screw 130 joined with the bracket 126. The end 130 of the link element 122 and the lower end 132 of the lever element 128 are pivotally joined with the opposite end of a connecting link element 134. The upper end 136 of the lever element 128 is pivotally secured by a pin 138 to the left end 139 of a substantially horizontal link element 140, which has the other end 142 pivotally connected I with the vertical portion 144 of a bracket 146. The horizontal portion 148 of the bracket 146 pivotally connects with the end 150 of a lever 152 which has its other end 154 pivotally connected with the end 156 of a ratchet means 158 (see FIGURE 2). The ratchet escapement end 160 of the ratchet means 158 receives therewithin and is connected with the keyed top end 162 of the lubricating means 18 for incremental rotation in the counterclockwise direction for advancing the piston 26 of the lubricating means 18.

In operation, a lead composition bullet 69 which is to be sized and greased is positioned above the bore 42 of the die element 36 as shown in FIGURE 5, with the reciprocating means 46 in its upper terminal position as illustrated. The handle 86 of the actuating lever 68 is moved in a downward stroke, which causes the lower carriage bracket 58 to move out of contact with the end 103 of rod 94. Continued downward motion of the reciprocating means 46 results in contact between the depending portion 66 of the press element 64 with the top 88 of the bullet 69. Further motion of the lever 68 results in forcing the bullet 69 into the bore 42 of the die element 36. As the bullet 69 is received into the die element 36, the lower carriage bracket 58 engages the stop nut 114 causing the rod 108 of the connecting means 106 to move in a downward direction. The link element 122 is actuated by the upper end 118 of the rod 108 to pivot in the clockwise direction with this motion being transmitted by the link element 134 to the lever element 128 which pivots about the screw in the clockwise direction. The movement of the upper end 136 of the lever 128 to the right as shown in FIGURE 4 by the dashed lines results in the counterclockwise rotation of the end 156 of the ratchet means 158 by the element 152 as viewed from FIGURE 2. This rotation of the ratchet means 158 results in the rotation of the shaft 28 and downward displacement of piston 26 of the lubricating means 18, forcing grease within its cavity 24 through the passage 32 into the chamber 34 of the base 12 and through the openings 40 to be received into the annular grooves 158 of the bullet 69 as it moves past the openings 40. At the end of the downward stroke, when the reciprocating means 46 has been positioned in its lower terminal position by engaging the top 102 of the guide sleeve 96, the rotation of the ratchet 158 in the counterclockwise direction is terminated so that the piston 26 is no longer advanced to force grease into the chamber 34 for application through the die element 36 to the grooves 158 of the bullet 69. The degree of rotation in the counterclockwise direction of the ratchet 158 is determined by adjusting the position of the stop nut 114 on the actuating rod 108. Thus to increase the radial actuation for applying a greater quantity of grease to the bullet 69, the nut 114 is threadedly actuated in the upward direction along the rod 108 to lengthen its contact with the lower carriage element 58, thereby increasing the stroke of the ratchet 158. Conversely, the degree of radial actuation can be reduced by lowering the position along the rod 108 of the nut 114.

After the completion of the downward stroke, the handle 86 of the rod 68 is moved in the upward direction to provide an upward stroke, for moving the reciprocating means 46 in an upward direction from its lower terminal position to its upper terminal position. The spring unit 161 which has its lower end 162 connected with the lower carriage bracket 158 and its upper end 164 connected with the lug 166 to the forward portion 38 of the base 12, is stretched on the downward stroke and acts to move the reciprocating means 46 towards its upward terminal position, thereby assisting in the manual actuation of the lever 68 during the upward stroke.

Similarly, the spring element 168, which is connected between the bracket 126 and the pin 138 which pivotally joins the lever 128 and the link element 140, acts to move the connecting means 106 into its position shown by the solid lines in FIGURE 4. Thus, as the lower carriage bracket 58 moves in the upward direction during the upward stroke of the lever 68, the connecting means moves back towards its first terminal position. During such a motion, a ratchet 158 moves in the clockwise direction and the escapement at its end 160 operates to prevent actuation and rotation therewith of the shaft 28. Upon the positioning of the lever '68 in its first terminal position, the reciprocating means 48 assumes its upper terminal position and the bullet 69 as explained previously is retracted from the die element 36. With the reciprocating means 46 in its upper terminal position, the lower carriage bracket 58 also contacts the upper return nut 116, thereby assuring that the connecting means 106 has been returned to its initial terminal position. Thus, if the connecting means 106 should lag in its return to such initial position, the actuation of the rod 108 in the upward direction by contact with the return nut 116 assures the return to the first terminal position.

The means is thus again positioned to initiate a succeeding bullet fabricating operation. The motion of the connecting means 106 can be controlled by the adjustment of the position of the nut 114 to determine the quantity of grease applied to the bullets, thereby advancing the piston 26 an equal amount during each downward and upward actuation of the lever 68. The operation of the means 10 thus assures the automatic sizing and application of a controlled quantity of grease to the bullet, thereby assuring uniformity and controlled quality of bullets produced.

The operation of sizing and greasing by the downward and upward strokes of the lever 68 may be accomplished with one hand, leaving the other hand free for placing of unsized or raw bullets in position over the die element 36. The bullet 69 retracted upon the completion of the sizing and greasing operation may be easily displaced by the free hand to fall into a container 170 as it positions an unprocessed bullet 69 over the die element 36. For this purpose, the basket or container 170, which may be of unitary plastic construction, is provided with a spout 172 positioned proximate the top 174 of the die element 36 for receiving the finished bullets 69 and secured with the table or bench member 16.

A counting means 178 is secured with the table or bench member 16 and has its registering lever 184) connected by spring 182 and line 184 with the lever 68 of the reciprocating means 48 proximate its handle 86. Thus,

6 with each downward stroke of the lever 68, the registering lever of the counting means 178 is actuated to increase its count by one, thereby providing a record of bullets processed by the fabricating means 10.

While this invention has been described and illustrated with reference to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of various modifications and applications, not departing essentially from the spirit thereof, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A bullet fabricating means comprising die means for receiving and sizing a bullet, lubricating means for supplying grease for said bullet, and lever means for forcing a bullet into said die means to perform a sizing operation and causing the application of grease to said bullet from said lubricating means upon said bullet being received into said die means, a measured quantity of grease being applied to said bullet by actuation of said lever means during a sizing operation, said die means including retracting means actuated by said lever means for removing said bullet from said die means during a reciprocating stroke of said lever.

2. A bullet fabricating means comprising die means for receiving and sizing a bullet; lubricating means for supplying grease for said bullet; reciprocating means including a carriage moving between first and second positions, a lever having a first stroke for actuating said carriage between said first and second positions and a second stroke for actuating said carriage between said second and first positions, and a press element secured with said carriage for actuating said carriage between said second and first stroke of said lever; connecting means actuated by said reciprocating means during the first stroke of said lever for causing the application of grease to said bullet from said lubricating means while said bullet is received within said die means; said connecting means being actuated by said reciprocating means after the beginning of said first stroke of said lever; said reciprocating means including a retracting element actuated by said carriage for removing said bullet from said die means during the second stroke of said lever; and said connecting means having first and second terminal positions being actuated by said reciprocating means from its first to its second position during the first stroke of said lever and assuming its first terminal position during the second stroke of said lever.

3. The means of claim 2 including basket means for receiving bullets removed from said die means during the second stroke of said lever.

4. The means of claim 2 in which said connecting means includes an adjustably positioned stop unit engaged and actuated by said carriage befor reaching its second position during the first stroke of the lever of said reciprocating means for adjusting the quantity of grease applied to said bullet by said lubricating means.

5. The means of claim 4 in which said lubricating means comprises a container provided with a piston advanced by a rotatable shaft for forcing grease into said die means for application to said bullet; and said connecting means includes a reciprocating ratched element connected with the shaft of said lubricating means for radial actuation thereof, the radial actuation of said shaft being adjusted by the position of said stop unit for controlling the advancement of said piston for feeding a measured quantity of grease to said die means with each reciprocal actuation of said reciprocating means by the first and second strokes of said lever.

6. The means of claim 5 in which said connecting means has a first terminal position which is assumed when the carriage of said reciprocating means is in its first position and a second terminal position assumed when said carriage is in its second position and includes spring means for urging said connecting means toward its first terminal position.

8 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,019,795 11/1935 Peterson 86-l9 2,535,616 12/1950 Wadrn-an et a1. 86-19 3,005,372 10/ 1961 Hall 86-19 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

P. A. SHANLEY, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A BULLET FABRICATING MEANS COMPRISING DIE MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND SIZING A BULLET; LUBRICATING MEANS FOR SUPPLYING GREASE FOR SAID BULLET; RECIPROCATING MEANS INCLUDING A CARRIAGE MOVING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, A LEVER HAVING A FIRST STROKE FOR ACTUATING SAID CARRIAGE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS AND A SECOND STROKE FOR ACTUATING SAID CARRIAGE BETWEEN SAID SECOND AND FIRST POSITIONS, AND A PRESS ELEMENT SECURED WITH SAID CARRIAGE FOR ACTUATING SAID CARRIAGE BETWEEN SAID SECOND AND FIRST STROKE OF SAID LEVER; CONNECTING MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID RECIPROCATING MEANS DURING THE FIRST STROKE OF SAID LEVER FOR CASING THE APPLICATION OF GREASE TO SAID BULLET FROM SAID LUBRICATING MEANS WHILE SAID BULLET IS RECEIVED WITHIN SAID DIE MEANS; SAID CONNECTING MEANS BEING ACTUATED BY SAID RECIPROCATING MEANS AFTER THE BEGINNING OF SAID FIRST STROKE OF SAID LEVER; SAID RECIPROCATING MEANS INCLUDING A RETRACTING ELEMENT ACTUATED BY SAID CARRIAGE FOR REMOVING SAID BULLET FROM SAID DIE MEANS DURING THE SECOND STROKE OF SAID LEVER; AND SAID CONNECTING MEANS HAVING FIRST AND SECOND TERMINAL POSITION BEING ACTUATED BY SAID RECIPROCATING MEANS FROM ITS FIRST TO ITS SECOND POSITION DURING THE FIRST STROKE OF SAID LEVER AND ASSUMING ITS FIRST TERMINAL POSITION DURING THE SECOND STROKE OF SAID LEVER. 